


Savage Harvest

by blakefancier



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, M/M, Werewolf Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-11
Updated: 2013-08-11
Packaged: 2017-12-23 02:54:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/921158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard Stark is on the run because even a predator can be prey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Savage Harvest

**Author's Note:**

> This story is all my partner in crime's fault. So if you're looking for someone to blame/credit, look to her.

Howard ran through the cornfield, the moon a wisp in the sky. His legs trembled with exhaustion, his chest ached with each breath, and his wrists were raw from the silver cuffs around them. He didn’t dare look back, didn't dare slow down; he felt like he was in some damn horror film. 

If he could only make it across this field to the farmhouse, he knew he'd be safe. He knew he'd be all right at least for the night. 

Then he tripped.

He tripped over his own damn feet. He hit the ground hard and the pain in his wrists flared hot and agonizing. He bit back a scream, struggling to get control of himself, but it was too late. He heard the sound of footsteps; he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You knew I'd catch you," Steve said.

Howard struggled to his knees and looked up; Steve stared down at him, gun in hand. "We've known each other for sixteen years. I've helped you and your men hunt. Of course I knew you'd catch me." He looked around; the Howling Commandos were never far from their captain. "Where are they?"

"New York." Steve slid his gun into his holster. "I told them I needed to do this myself."

"Templar protocol dictates—"

"This isn't about the Templars! And it's not about the Commandos." Steve's voice was like a gunshot and Howard jerked in surprise. "This is about you and me. This is about your lies."

"One lie," he said. He hunched over his hands; if he could just dislocate his thumbs, maybe he could get the damn cuffs off. God, it fucking hurt.

"More than one." Steve rubbed his mouth. "Get up. Slowly." 

"Why?" He bit back a cry of victory when he was able to slide his right hand out of the cuff. "You're just going to kill me." 

"I'm giving you the chance to die as a man." Steve hesitated a moment, then continued, "A man and not a monster."

Howard let out a snort of derision, slid his left hand out of the cuff, and smiled. "I'm not a monster." He lunged at Steve, shifting in mid-air. They went down in flurry of limbs and fur; Steve was strong, but Howard was stronger. He pinned Steve to the ground, fangs bared.

"Go on!" Steve said, lifting his chin. "Go on and do it! I wouldn’t hesitate!"

Only Steve had. Not that it mattered. Howard couldn't do it. He couldn’t kill Steve, even if it saved his life. He was about to shift back when he felt a sharp, agonizing pain in his side; Steve's knives, he'd forgot about them. He yelped and slowly began to shift back. He fucking hated silver. Steve shoved Howard off, stumbled to his feet, and then kicked Howard hard in the head.

The last thing Howard saw before he blacked out was Steve, looking young and uncertain in the moonlight. 

***** 

Howard woke slowly. He was sitting on a wooden chair, hands handcuffed behind the back, feet tied to the legs, his side throbbing, in a dimly lit motel room. Steve sat on the bed, carefully cleaning his knives. Howard felt a pang of sadness; how many times had he seen Steve do that? How many?

"You're finally awake." Steve looked up and set aside his knife.

"Yeah." He swallowed hard and asked the question that had been niggling in his mind since he fled New York. "What did you do to Maria and Tony?"

"We tested Maria—to be honest, we were all a little surprised that she was human." Steve clenched his jaw. "You didn't tell her either. About… your condition."

"No, I didn't." He'd wanted to keep her well away from that world. "And Tony?"

Steve glared at him. "We don't kill children! He'll be tested when he comes of age and if your genes ring true, he'll be dealt with." 

"You're his godfather," he whispered and Steve looked away. "Why didn't you kill me?"

Steve licks his lips and took a deep breath. "Monster or not, you deserve the option of receiving the last rites." 

He would have laughed, but it'd hurt too much. "You know I'm an athiest."

"At least let me hear your confession."

"What do you think I'm going to say?" he asked, voice trembling. "Do you think I'm going to confess to murdering innocent people during the full moon? Steve, you've known me since college and that stupid, goddamn party where you threw up on my shoes. I took you back to your dorm room and stayed with you all night. Does that sound like a monster to you?"

"You kept it from me," Steve said with barely contained rage.

"Because you're a fucking wolf-killer! The one person I wanted to tell, that I needed to tell, and I find out he's a Templar Knight and not just any Templar Knight, but he's in the Order of the Wolf." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Do you know how scared I've been, Steve? How heart-sick?"

"Heart-sick?"

"You know," he said angrily. "I know you know, so don't pretend you don't! You're my mate and I know you can feel it. Why do think I've helped you all these years? Why do you think I made you and your men weapons and armor, helped you hunt down my kind, kill them. You knew, you've always known deep down inside. But fine, you wanna hear my confession? You wanna know all the people I killed, Steve? Marshal Ramsey, Adam Kincaid, Jessica Moore, Dillon and Rachel Cuttle—" 

Steve made a surprised sound.

"That's right. Every wolf you killed, I killed, too. All sixty-eight of them. And I know some of them were murderers, I know, but not all of them. Most of them were just trying to live their lives. And I helped you kill them. So, yeah, that's on my conscience. I murdered them, and I lied to you. But it was only because I wanted to be near you."

"You're married." Steve sounded shaken. Hell, he looked shaken.

"I love Maria. I never would have married her if I didn't love her. But if you had said one word or made it known that you wanted me, I would have set her aside." He hung his head in shame. "I guess that's my biggest sin."

"Is that all you have to confess?" Steve rose to his feet and picked up his knife.

Howard fought his instincts and froze. This wasn't the time for action. "You were the best man at my wedding, you're the godfather of my son, my friend, and my soul mate." He looked up at Steve. "Please don’t kill me. I swear if you let me go, I'll run and hide and you'll never see or hear from me again. I swear on my honor."

"You know I can't do that." Steve grabbed Howard's hair and jerked his head back, then pressed the knife to his throat.

"Have mercy," he said quietly. "Have mercy on the man who loves you." 

Steve growled and threw his knife across the room. Then he took a few steps back, sat on the bed, and buried his face in his hands. "Wolves killed my mother."

"I know." Howard trembled with relief. "And I am so sorry that happened, but I didn't do it."

"Why didn't you tell me? I had to hear it from Schmidt!"

He shivered; Schmidt was a psychopath. "I didn't want you to hate me." He cleared his throat. "Do you hate me?"

Steve looked at him. "God help me, I don't."

"Do you love me? Do you—" Steve said his name in warning and he quieted, but not very long. "We could run off together and hide."

"You know I can't."

He did know, but love was ever hopeful. He smiled at Steve, who looked deep in thought. 

A moment later, Steve nodded, rose to his feet, and walked behind Howard's chair. "Two days," he said, unlocking the cuffs. "You have two days, then I'm going to come looking for you."

"Two days." God, two days was nothing. But he'd asked for mercy and he'd received it. "Got it."

"Run fast." Steve put a hand on his head. "And may God be with you, wolf."

Howard untied his legs and stood slowly; his side flared with pain. "I'd tell you good hunting, Templar, but I wouldn't mean it."

Steve smiled. "Go before I change my mind."

Howard nodded. He had just reached the door, when Steve called his name. He stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"I love you, too," Steve said. "But that won't stop me from killing you the next time I catch you."

It hurt to hear, but it he was glad Steve had said it. "Then let's hope we never see each other again." When he stepped out of the motel room, he saw that it was a few hours until dawn. He slipped into an alley and shifted, then slunk out of town. He had a lot of miles to cover and only two days to do it.


End file.
